Negative Home Pregnancy Test after Missed Period 

Did you miss your period but got a negative pregnancy test? This may sound like a tricky thing but there are several explanations to it. This may happen for one of the following reasons-

• You are pregnant but the pregnancy hormones have not built up enough in your body.
• You are not pregnant. Your period may be late for some other reason.
• You are pregnant, but the test did not work effectively.  
• You are pregnant, but there might be some complication or problem 

Such a situation can be emotionally challenging for the female.  

A female may have a delayed or missed period but still, get a negative pregnancy test. Here are a few possible reasons why you got a negative pregnancy test when missed periods. 

1. Low hormone levels

In some cases, levels of the pregnancy hormone “hCG” (human chorionic gonadotropin) in the early pregnancy are not yet high enough to get a positive home pregnancy test at home. 

A female’s menstrual cycle can vary widely. So, if a female conceives later in her monthly cycle, her pregnancy hormone levels may not be high enough at the time of her missed period. 

There can be up to a 13-day difference in when a female’s ovulation actually occurs. This means that a female may think she is 4 weeks pregnant when she is actually just 2 weeks pregnant. Pregnancy bleeding, recent hormonal contraceptive use, or breastfeeding can all interfere with the accuracy of the home pregnancy test. 

If you think you are (or maybe) pregnant after a missed period but have a negative home pregnancy test, wait for a few days. Or, if you are really worried, visit your gynecologist. 

2. Ectopic pregnancy

It is rare, but at times an ectopic pregnancy can show up as a negative pregnancy test. This happens rarely, in less than 3 % of ectopic pregnancies. 

Get medical help in case you get a negative pregnancy test and have the following symptoms: 

• Severe pain in the lower abdomen or on one side
• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Vaginal bleeding or spotting
• Nausea 
• Vomiting

3. Lifestyle factors

Several external factors can influence a female’s menstrual cycle. Just like stress can delay your periods, several other factors such as nutrient deficiencies or malnutrition can influence your period cycle. Excessive caffeine intake or low daily calorie intake can also cause fluctuating period cycles.

4. Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding can result in some irregularities in the female’s menstrual cycle. Even after the baby’s delivery, it may take some time before the new mom’s cycle goes back to normal. 

Breastfeeding can result in hormonal imbalances, thus giving out a wrong home pregnancy result at that moment. 

5. Medical conditions

Medical conditions like PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) or thyroid-related problems can cause a female to have irregular cycles or maybe, even missed periods. Some females may have very heavy periods, some may have very light periods, and some may have skipped periods altogether. 

6. Medications

Certain medications can be responsible for irregular or skipped periods. Medications for certain conditions like blood pressure drugs or allergy medications can disturb the normal 28 day period cycle. Birth control pills may cause irregular periods or give out a false pregnancy test result.

Next steps

There can be many different reasons responsible for a negative home pregnancy test after a missed period. It can also be a case of an undiagnosed medical condition, like PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), or it could be a lifestyle problem like extreme stress. After getting a negative home pregnancy test result, a female should wait for up to a week before taking another test. If you get the test negative even the second time and still have not had your period, see your gynecologist immediately. 

Also Read:

• Am I Pregnant? Signs of Pregnancy after Sex
• Foods that can harm a female’s pregnancy
• Things you should know about Vomiting in Pregnancy